Schechter Shoutouts: May 2025 :: Solomon Schechter Day School

Schechter Shoutouts: May 2025

/ May 13, 2025 /

Dear Schechter Alumni,

I’m so excited to share the fourth issue of the Schechter Shoutouts with you! This time, we have an interview with Carl Mandell, former Schechter Principal and Director, some wonderful Alumni News updates, and a few short pieces about great things that have been happening at Schechter. I hope you enjoy the chance to reconnect with the school, and with former classmates!

If you haven’t been to Schechter in a while, please reach out (jberger@ssds-hartford.org) and let me know when you might be around. I’d love to welcome you back for a visit.

Thanks, as always, go to Audrey Sobel, Director of Communications, whose dedication and hard work makes this newsletter possible.

Kol tuv—wishing you all the best,

Yoni
Rabbi Jonathan Berger
Head of School

Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Carl Mandell

How long were you at Schechter? What role(s) did you have?
I served at Schechter for 11 years. I started under the title Principal, which grew into Director, but the work was the same regardless of the title. My focus was more on Community Outreach; I shared ideas with other directors of both Jewish organizations and also the heads of the other private schools in the area. Before working at Schechter, I had a strong background in curriculum as a Principal and Academic Director in the public schools. In addition, I had been involved in the Jewish community serving on various committees.

What is a favorite Schechter memory of yours?
I have so many special memories that it is hard to decide. I always loved Purim at school! One thing that is dearest to me is that the 8th Grade Israel Trip started under my administration. It was not easy to bring this trip to fruition! Fortunately, there was enough support to get the first trip going. One of my proudest accomplishments was seeing Israel come alive in person for Schechter students.

What are you doing now?
I am happily retired, living one half of the year in Connecticut and the other half in Arizona, where my daughter Michelle (a Schecther graduate) lives with her family. I am active in both of my synagogues. My wife, Cruz, and I are grateful that we are able to do this.

What do you most hope that Schechter students took away from their time at Schechter?
Schechter provided a warm and nurturing environment for the students; in addition, the talented staff brought the curriculum to life in ways that taught students how to think critically. I am so proud when I see their accomplishments on Facebook or other places. I hope that Schechter students will always have a little flame inside to remind them of who they are and appreciate the learning that they were afforded by their Schechter education.

Who is a colleague you learned a lot from? What did you learn?
I truly learned something from each staff person, no matter their position. Because my background was in public education, I often relied on Rabbi Chatinover and Galya Greenberg for Judaic-related information and practice. They guided me through the Judaic content so that I could be more proficient in that area.

I would also like to thank some of the Board Presidents, especially Mark Rosen and Sharon Conway, who were instrumental in bringing me to Schechter. I would also like to recognize Neil Kochen for always being an excellent sounding board.

Alumni News

Debi (Cohen) Himelfarb (1989)lives in Rockville, MD with her husband Evan, and their two sons: Dylan (18) and Alec (13). Debi is dedicated to improving education through volunteer work and currently works in Sales Operations at PowerSchool. (see photo)

Naomi (Wasser) Mozer (1995) lives in the Albany, New York area. She is a dedicated volunteer at the local Jewish day school where her three children attend/ed. She is looking forward to celebrating her daughter’s bat mitzvah next fall.

Kol hakavod to Talya Smilowitz (1997), who will become Cantor of Temple Beth Hillel in South Windsor this summer! Her passion for music and Judaism that began as a young student at Schechter led Talya to the Juilliard School, to different cantorial positions, and to singing performances around the world. We know she will be a great addition to Temple Beth Hillel! (see photo)

Sariann Lehrer (2000) lives in Dumfries, Scotland with her husband, David, in a converted Victorian school house, where they care for a border collie, nine chickens, and an ever-expanding potager garden. She runs a gastronomic travel business, Raw Milk Retreats, and also maintains a retail shop, Raw Milk Mercantile. She is greatly enjoying her new role of eccentric aunt abroad. ( see photo)

Max Beede (2006)is excited to join a dynamic cohort of Jewish professionals committed to deepening their understanding of Jewish values through service; he is a participant in the Service Learning Kollel through Repair the World, a six-month program designed to challenge members to grapple with complex questions about Jewish identity, collective responsibility, and the impact they want to have on their communities. Through this experience, Max hopes to grow both personally and professionally—building the skills and confidence to engage others in nuanced conversations. Max credits Schechter’s emphasis on growth mindset and tikkun olam as one of the driving forces that led him to apply to this cohort. We can’t wait to see how this learning will impact his “day job” at the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford and his participation in many aspects of Jewish life in Connecticut.

Nadav Chatinover (2008), divides his time between Berlin and Lisbon, balancing dual lives as a Techno artist and an Indie artist, with some production and A&R work for variety. He recently signed deals with Sony Portugal for an Indie project and Universal Germany for a Techno project, and has been touring Europe - doing shows and festivals in Amsterdam, Madrid, Belfast, Lisbon, Berlin, Dublin, Paris, Basel and Malta. On this side of the world, he has upcoming shows in Los Angeles and Colombia! In between performances, he’s working on his next Indie album with Sony. When not making music, Nadav loves catching up with other Schechter alumni —whether it’s texting Eli and Max Shakun while watching Zach Rausch’s talk on YouTube together, or getting negotiation advice from Jason Stein — and of course, spending time with his niece and nephew whenever he visits home. You can catch Nadav on Spotify as:

Nadav (Indie) – first album is called “Iowa”, new one coming soon
MCYL (Techno)
DavWave (Production)

Erika Meadow (2008) married in November 2024 to wife Serana. They live in Windsor Locks; Erika works in the IT/Tech Support space and is still a massive sports fan, often travelling for concerts, sporting events, and conventions. ( see photo)

Nathan Schachter (2011) was recently elected to the first Voice of the People Council, a groundbreaking initiative led by Israel’s President Isaac Herzog, uniting 150 diverse Jewish individuals from around the world to amplify our collective strength and address the challenges that matter most to our people. Nathan describes the group as being “dedicated to shaping our future through meaningful conversations, innovative solutions, and collaborative actions for real change.”

Gabriel Epstein (2015)and his team from Tulane University called SCALAR (Scalable Constructs for Advanced Lunar Activities and Research) has been selected by NASA as finalists in the nationwide 2025 RASC-AL competition! They will compete in the Sustained Lunar Evolution category this June—alongside teams from MIT and Virginia Polytechnic Institute. NASA says that “RASC-AL projects will contribute real solutions to some of the most pressing challenges we currently face” and are “a brilliant example of innovation, creativity, and interdisciplinary collaboration at its best.” We can’t wait to follow the progress of Gabe and his team! (see photo)

Eitan Ehrlich (2016) discovered his passion for creativity and visual storytelling in middle school at Schechter. Now a cinematographer and editor at the Hartford Film Company, Eitan is celebrating the release of his documentary about his family’s experience with Parkinson’s Disease and his triathlon training as a form of healing. Eitan will return to his roots -- the Schechter auditorium -- on May 29, 2025, for the Greater Hartford screening of Live. Ride. Cure. We are so proud that as an adult Eitan has built upon the core values he learned at Schechter! ( see photo)

Noah Grosberg (2019) will be an Investment Banking Summer Analyst at Evercore in Israel this summer. Noah is already planning ahead for the following summer… he accepted an offer to join BMO Capital Markets as a 2026 Investment Banking Summer Analyst in their New York office. Mazal tov! ( see photo)

Matthew Medvedovski (2019) participated in a selective 8-week startup accelerator program at York College of Pennsylvania. Through the accelerator program, he worked on scaling production, refining the branding, expanding new sales channels, and talking it up at a pitch night. His pitch secured $2,000 for their company, Benny’s Hot Sauce! Kol hakavod!

Mazal tov to Schechter graduate Eli Gold (2021) on a tremendous accomplishment: he received first place in the US Navy band young artist solo competition, and performed a solo with the Navy Band in mid May! ( see photo)

Ellie Kay (2022) was elected to HaNer USY Regional Board for the 2025-2026 school year! She will serve as the Social Action / Tikun Olam Vice President. Kol hakavod! ( see photo)

Yasher koach to Noam Berkowitz (2023), who was elected to HaNer USY Regional Board for the 2025-2026 school year as Regional Outreach Vice President! (see photo)

Schechter's Class of 2021: Look Where They're Headed!!

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Frozen Jr. Melts Hearts Onstage

Before Passover vacation, the Schechter stage was transformed into the magical world of Arendelle as students delivered enthusiastic performances of Frozen Jr., showcasing the talent and dedication of the cast, crew, and director/choreographer.

Since rehearsals began in January, the production has been a true journey of growth and learning for everyone involved. The cast worked diligently to develop essential performance skills such as teamwork, confidence, stage presence, line memorization, vocal projection, stage directions, improvisation, and comedic timing. Throughout the rehearsal process, students explored character development by experimenting with emotions, vocal inflection, facial expressions, and stage movement—all of which helped bring depth and authenticity to their performances.

Behind the scenes, countless hours were spent running scenes, songs, choreography, and blocking, while also managing costume and set changes. This consistent practice paid off, helping the cast and crew commit the show to memory and ensuring a polished final performance that brought laughs, cheers, and applause from the audience.

The result was a vibrant and engaging production that not only entertained audiences but also celebrated the hard work, creativity, and collaboration of everyone involved. Frozen Jr. was not just a show—it was a shining example of what can be accomplished when Schechter students come together with passion and dedication. Kol hakavod to Director & Choreographer: Julie Borsotti and the entire Frozen, Jr. cast and crew (listed below).

Director & Choreographer: Julie Borsotti; Cast: Ariella Altenburger, Natalie Barnea, Rami Berger, Leah Cohen, Noah Cohen, Hannah Cohen, Iris Cohen, Reva Cohen, Rachel Eddinger, Paige Ferenc, Ilan Gallant, Asher Gamzon, Ezra Goldsweig, Jesse Kay, Ayelet Krinsky, Zoe Laskowski, Talia Matthews, Cordelia Ruth, Gabe Spector, Owen Zablotsky; Crew: Adina Gamzon, Elsa Leshem, Eleanor Ruth

Click HERE to see more photos of Frozen, Jr.

Middle School Trips Bring Learning to Life

Our 8th graders have returned from Israel, but their experiences live on in their hearts -- and on our blog! Check out our new 8th Grade Israel Blog to learn about their travels!

The 6th graders of Nevatim hit the road as part of their unit on Immigration. When at the Tenement Museum, Schechter students impressed the guide with their wealth of knowledge about life on the lower east side. Other highlights included a visit to Economy Candy, a candy store that was opened by immigrants to the lower east side in 1936, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, and, of course, the abundance of kosher food in NYC!

Our 7th graders spent three days in Washington, DC, exploring monuments that honor the nation’s history and ideals and meeting Senator Richard Blumenthal. Through these excursions, the students encountered the themes of leadership, justice, citizenship, and sacrifice. This trip, in conjunction with their classroom studies, inspired thoughtful conversations about responsibility and impact. We can't wait to find out the ways they will incorporate these lessons into their lives!

Want to learn more about what's happening at Schechter?

Read about our Hanukkah STEAMfest!

Check out Schechter on Facebook!
Check out Schechter on Instagram!

Check out Schechter's Annual Report to get a review of our past year! See the latest trends in Enrollment, Development, and more!

From the Yearbook Stash....

Who do you recognize from 1995 and 2005?

* If you know anyone in these photos, comment below and also share the Schechter Shoutouts with them! We want to know what they're doing!

Scorpions Soccer Team, 1994-1995

Schechter class of 2005

(celebrating their 20th anniversary!)

Send us your favorite photo from your time at Schechter!

Email Audrey at asobel@ssds-hartford.org

Want more Alumni News? We've got you covered!

Check out all Schechter Shoutouts HERE!

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